As a population increases, each organism has less access to resources and space. Also, when one population lives in close relation to another population, they often compete for the resources they need, which creates limiting factors for both.

Carrying Capacity

def: size of a population that can be supported indefinitely by the resources and conditions of a given ecosystem.

population size is at equilibrium at carrying capacity

when resources are used unsustainably, the population size will decrease to a new equilibrium

Ecological Niche

def: includes resources they use, abiotic limiting factors that restrict how it can survive, and biotic relationships that it has with other species

abiotic relationships: places it uses for roosting and hibernation, time of night it hunts for food, temperature range it can tolerate

biotic relationships: insects it eats, its competitors and its predators

Predator

def: an organism that kills and consumes other organisms

e.g: a predator of a mouse would be and owl

Prey

def: a organism that is eaten as food by a predator

e.g: prey of a wolf would be a caribou, or a moose

Mutualism

def: a symbiotic relationship between 2 species in which both species benefit from the relationship

e.g: photosynthetic algae live inside most typical reef-building corals. The algae provides the coral with up to 90% of the coral's energy and the coral provides the algae with protection, nutrients, and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.

Parasite

def: an organism whose niche is dependent on a close association with a larger host organism

e.g: brain worms lay eggs in the blood vessels of a deer's brain and travel through the circulatory system until they hatch, which is when they are eventually excreted. There is minimal impact on a deer, but the worms greatly depend on them to complete their life cycle successfully.

Competition

def: 2 or more organisms compete for the same resources such as food, space, and water

e.g: if 2 organisms consume the same prey for food, they will have to compete for it, and if one organism is stronger or has more control over the other, it could eliminate the whole population of that species due to lack of food.

Sustainable Use

def: use that does not lead to long term depletion of resources or affect the diversity of of the ecosystem from which the resources are obtained

allows the resource to meet the needs of present and future generations

e.g: if humans do not use resources in a sustainable way, our niche may shrink over time

Doubling Time

def: the period of time that is required for a population to double in size

e.g: the world's doubling time used to be about 650 years, but now the doubling time for humans is about 60 years

Ecological Footprint

def: a measure of the impact of an individual or a population on the environment

data used to measure an ecological footprint includes, energy consumption, land use, and waste production

Unsustainable

def: a pattern of activity that leads to a decline in the function of an ecosystem

e.g: if an organism consumes food in an unsustainable way, there will eventually be a shortage of food and the organisms will begin to die off

Sustainability

def: use of Earth's resources, including land and water, at levels that can continue forever

e.g: forests can have sustainability if humans replenish and control the amount of trees they cut down

Ecosystem Services

def: benefits experienced by organisms, including humans, that are provided by sustainable ecosystems (natural result of all the activities that occur in the biosphere)

e.g: some ecosystem services that forests perform are, influencing climate, reducing erosion in watersheds, and providing a habitat for thousands of species

Desertification

def: the change of non-desert land into a desert; it may result from climate change and unsustainable farming or water use

Ecotourism

def: a form of tourism that is sensitive to the health of an ecosystem and involves recreational activities provided by sustainable ecosystems

some tourists plan holidays that include boat trips to view whales and dolphins OR trips to watch birds and butterflies migrate. Also, they provide opportunities for ecotourism by allowing humans to go hiking,snowshoeing, fishing, kayaking, etc